The Miami Dolphins are fielding offers for a quarterback. Don’t worry, it’s not Tua Tagovailoa. Instead, the organization is fielding trade offers for Josh Rosen.
According to a tweet from Adam Schefter, the team has fielded recent trade inquiries in recent days for the former UCLA star.
Rosen was traded to the Dolphins during the second night of the 2019 NFL Draft in exchange for Miami’s second-round pick. He was named the backup to Ryan Fitzpatrick before the start of the season
Rosen would play in six games last season for the Dolphins, starting three of them. He lost all three of his starts in what was a rebuilding year for the organization. He threw for 567 yards, one touchdown, and five interceptions. It was not a banner year for him to say the least.
This move makes sense for Miami. Rosen is still young enough to where he has trade value. He could be worth it for a team willing to take on a project player. With Miami having a capable veteran in Ryan Fitzpatrick and a potential star in Tagovailoa, there really is no room for Rosen.
Miami Dolphins have stability in quarterback room
The one-two combination of Fitzpatrick and Tagovailoa should be enough to carry the team. The stability in the quarterback room is certainly welcome for the Miami Dolphins, as they look to continue building the team. This newfound stability is something they have not had in years. Simply put, there is really no room for Rosen.
As far as value for what the Miami Dolphins could get in a trade, a fourth-round pick would probably be the best get for Miami. For what it’s worth, he is still under contract for two seasons.
There is no doubt that Rosen has a level of talent. It was evident during his time at UCLA. He recorded 9,341 passing yards and 59 touchdowns in three seasons in Westwood.
Maybe, he will be able to get back to that level on an NFL field. at 23 years of age, he certainly could be worth a flyer for any team willing to take on a quarterback.
One mistake was enough to give Sixto Sanchez (1-1, 2.37) his first loss in the MLB. On a dominant night from Sixto, one hanging slider to Lourdes Gurriel Jr. was enough to make the difference. The Blue Jays managed to hold on to their relatively early 2-0 lead off the Gurriel Jr. blast and win the game 2-1. The Marlins fell to 16-16 and the Blue Jays improved to 19-16 on the season.
Positive Takes
The pitching remains stellar. Sixto had a lot of swagger on the mound and showed high levels of confidence for the young 22-year old that he is. He managed the game with a low pitch count and went 7 strong innings allowing only the 2 runs on the home run. Boxberger and Garcia pitched scoreless innings in the 8th and 9th, respectively. Marlins’ pitching continues to look extremely special with the combination of effective young arms in the starting rotation and the wily veterans in the bullpen. After almost every game (barring some of the games which the bullpen was working on low rest), Marlins’ pitching has been a positive post-game topic. At least they are consistent.
Negative Takes
Speaking of inconsistency, the Marlins’ lineup has continued to struggle. Adding Marte to the mix proved to be the difference on Tuesday, but as seen on Wednesday one guy cannot shift the momentum of 8 guys lacking. These hitting woes have been a consistent fixture on this team. Their ability to get back on track will be the driving factor in whether this Marlins team can continue their run. The hitting has been inconsistent all season, but there have been solid spurts mixed in. The Fish will look to have a 28 game “spurt” to finish off the season.
Looking Ahead
The Marlins have Thursday off. On Friday they head to the Trop to take on the Tampa Bay Rays, who they were just swept by a series ago. Pablo Lopez (3-2, 2.10) will take the mound on Friday versus Josh Fleming (2-0, 1.74).
https://www.fivereasonssports.com/wp-content/uploads/Eg8rW7KWkAY9w2K.jpg7211200Christian Chasehttps://www.fivereasonssports.com/wp-content/uploads/FiveReasonsWebsiteLogo.svgChristian Chase2020-09-03 10:04:432020-09-03 10:04:43Marlins Lose 2-1, Split Series With Blue Jays
It was a bit of a choppy game for both the Heat and the Bucks throughout, but Miami rallied through to get the win, 116-114. A couple of late game foul calls, resulted in two free throws for Jimmy Butler to win the game. Here are five takeaways from the game…
#1: Once again, Goran Dragic too much for Milwaukee back-court.
It’s pretty clear that you have to mention Goran Dragic after every one of these games, since he truly hasn’t had a bad game. Some talked about Goran possibly having a tougher time with Eric Bledsoe matched up with him, but that was not the case. He pretty much did whatever he wanted to do on the court, since he was an absolute threat from deep, and also got to the basket at will using his usual backboard floater. Goran is the piece on this team that is looked to during tough stretches, since he always delivers. Hopefully he’s on these takeaway pieces for many games to come, and I have a feeling he will be.
#2: Heat’s bench group comes up big throughout, as they did in regular season.
The Miami Heat’s bench group struggled a bit shooting the ball in game one, which is very unusual. But, this wasn’t the case today since Tyler Herro, Kendrick Nunn, and Kelly Olynyk made huge contributions offensively. This is what I mentioned previously about this team. The team does not run on the fact of Jimmy Butler’s scoring, it runs on the shooting of their supporting cast. Tyler Herro’s outstanding ability to score the ball during tough stretches was on full effect tonight. If the bench can continue to take the offensive load off of Jimmy, this will consequently make a much more effective Jimmy Butler.
#3: Jimmy reverts back to his usual role.
Jimmy Butler got a bit of a wrap, after game one against Milwaukee, that he is an unstoppable scorer. And well, that’s exactly what Jimmy wants people to think. He definitely has the ability to step up as a scorer for this team late, but he truly wants to be a facilitator that can get his teammates going. As he said before the game, “I hope it’s Goran tonight, I hope it’s Tyler, I hope it’s Duncan.” The reason he says that is because he knows the key to winning these games is to get those types of guys going, which is what he did. Jimmy also likes to let everyone know that he has his teammates back, when he pushed Wesley Matthews after a hard foul on Bam in the third quarter. That was and will always be Jimmy’s role, especially on this current Heat team.
#4: Miami slows down Giannis Antetokounmpo, but he powered through with the help of the officials.
It’s clear Giannis Antetokounmpo can not be fully stopped, since he’s an absolute offensive force. But, he can definitely be slowed down. He may get his points, but he has to work for them majorly. And by work for them, I mean running through the lane to constantly draw a foul. The officials were definitely generous for Giannis Antetokounmpo and others throughout, since there was zero leeway for Miami defenders to be physical. Giannis was able to thrive a bit more in the fourth quarter once Derrick Jones Jr entered the game for an injured Andre Iguodala. DJJ clearly isn’t big enough to guard Giannis, but made some scrappy plays which is what he usually does. If Miami is able to be a bit more physical with Giannis the rest of the series, it definitely favors the Heat. The officials ended up giving one call back to Jimmy Butler and the Miami Heat, which resulted in Jimmy Butler’s game winning free throws.
#5: Bam Adebayo’s impacted the game off the ball as much as he possibly could.
Bam Adebayo was such a presence throughout this game around the rim. On both sides of the ball, he was as scrappy as ever with his rebounding efforts. This may have a little something to do with the fact that he has been watching film and working on his rebounding with Heat’s veteran Udonis Haslem. But that’s not the only part of his game that he made an impact on. He was an outstanding screen setter throughout, as he usually is, but his ability to get guys free against this drop scheme proved to be very essential. It would be great for this Heat team if he’d be aggressive with the ball in his hands throughout, but Spo constantly reiterates that he wants Bam to play to his strengths instead.
https://www.fivereasonssports.com/wp-content/uploads/C31C0730-7902-475F-BF2C-F117C5741D73.jpeg625797Brady Hawkhttps://www.fivereasonssports.com/wp-content/uploads/FiveReasonsWebsiteLogo.svgBrady Hawk2020-09-02 21:37:432020-09-02 22:40:105 Takeaways from Heat’s Victory over Bucks in Game Two
Miami and Toronto squared off on Tuesday night, as Starling Marte made his Marlins’ debut and Jonathan Villar made his Blue Jays’ debut (against the Marlins). On Monday, the Marlins acquired Marte from the Diamondbacks, and he was in the lineup for Miami on Tuesday.
The new Marte-led Marlins bested the Blue Jays 3-2 after late-inning heroics by Marte himself. This game was extremely important for the Marlins (16-15). The Phillies (16-15) reached closer and closer to surpassing the Marlins for second place in the division.
The pitching looked solid on the Marlins end, as the bullpen pitched 7 innings of 1-run baseball after Elieser Hernandez left the game after just 2 innings pitched allowing 1 run on 2 hits. Josh A. Smith continues to pitch well going 4 strong innings to overcome the short start of Hernandez. Richard Bleier and James Hoyt combined to pitch 2 shutout innings. Brandon Kintzler picked up his 8th save in as many attempts.
Starling Marte Made Difference for the Marlins
Starling Marte, STARLING MARTE! In his first game with the Marlins, the veteran “star” showed up. He scored 2 of the Marlins 3 runs, one of which off of a Garrett Cooper RBI double and the other on a go-ahead solo bomb in the top of the 8th inning. The ball soared off his bat, leading to a no-doubter and an eventual Marlins’ win.
“I knew it was a home run when I hit it,” Marte said after the game. “The energy I felt with the bat, I knew it was gone.”
Jon Berti hit a solo shot earlier in the game as well, helping to propel the Marlins’ bats.
The Marlins (16-15) look to further this 2-game win streak tomorrow against Toronto (18-16), and sweep the two-game set. Sixto Sanchez (1-0, 2.25 ERA) takes the mound for the Marlins against Hyun Jin Ryu (2-1, 2.92 ERA) of the Blue Jays.
https://www.fivereasonssports.com/wp-content/uploads/4C83ED7B-582A-4798-82B3-51B09B39C3EA.jpeg425775Christian Chasehttps://www.fivereasonssports.com/wp-content/uploads/FiveReasonsWebsiteLogo.svgChristian Chase2020-09-02 10:15:282020-09-02 10:15:28Marte Proves Himself Immediately for Marlins
The Miami Heat talked with some media after practice again today, after their huge game one win over Milwaukee. Goran Dragic talked about his relationship with his teammates, while Kendrick Nunn discussed his adjustment to his new role. Here’s what was said…
Post Practice Comment #1:
Erik Spoelstra on using Kendrick Nunn: "He's been one of our most important players all season long."
After Kendrick Nunn seems to have locked up the ninth man in the rotation, Erik Spoelstra touched on his importance. He said, “He’s been one of our most important players all season long.” He was pretty solid yesterday in game one scoring 6 points, but was a plus-8 in the game. And as talked about many times, if he can knock down some jumpers in this series, that may be the difference maker. Tyler Herro was the only player on the team for a stretch that utilized the mid-range, which is something Kendrick has done well all season. Goran praised Kendrick for adjusting to his new role, saying “We tell him, stay with it, we’re going to need you in the series.” Spo also mentioned how happy he is for Kendrick, saying “These are not easy circumstances…Covid is real.”
When Goran Dragic was asked about yesterday’s game, he began with “We didn’t do anything yet.” He knows that although both him and Jimmy are playing at an elite level, the rest of their team hasn’t even gotten started. Goran mentioned that “This is the best basketball I’ve played in the playoffs.” He said he was a bit worried with the week layoff after the first round sweep, saying “I didn’t want to lose that consistency and everything.” Well, that hasn’t proved to be an issue after Goran put up 27 in game one. Not even that is enough for Goran and this Heat team, since he said they haven’t done anything yet.
Post-Practice Comment #3:
Dragic: "I'm just enjoying myself. That's the biggest reason. I love my teammates. For me, it feels like I'm back with the national team."
It’s clear that Goran Dragic is having the time of his life playing basketball this season. He reiterated that point after practice, saying “I’m just enjoying myself…I love my teammates. For me, it feels like I’m back with the national team.” This starts with his relationship with Jimmy Butler, who continue to improve their on-court play the longer they play together. And it’s a good thing Goran likes his teammates, since that’s all he has around him for this long stretch of time. Goran mentioned that both him and Jimmy will not have their families come to the bubble, since “It’s a business trip.” He followed that with “The focus is to win a championship,” and if they sustain their current play, there’s a possibility it could happen.
Post-Practice Comment #4:
Nunn says Spoelstra told him he would be a rotation player this round
Kendrick Nunn talked about trying to adapt to his new role off of the bench. He started off saying that Spo told him heading into the series that he would be in the rotation, since he was a key contributor in the regular season wins against Milwaukee. Kendrick also touched on the difference between his starting role and rotational role. He said, “It’s a little bit different. Everything is more limited. You’ve got to pick and choose when to be aggressive.” Another part of the adjustment is that he’s playing with the bench unit, which he didn’t play much with all season. But as long as he gets back to his regular season self, which was a pure scorer, he will fit in with anybody. And like he said, “I’ve been able to get my rhythm back.”
Post-Practice Comment #5:
Nunn says the 3-guard lineup "gives us an advantage, because obviously our speed kills. I love playing with 2 guards."
Kendrick Nunn spoke about the lineup that included him, Goran Dragic, and Tyler Herro that was used in game one. He said, “It gives us an advantage because obviously our speed kills. I love playing with two guards.” This lineup also benefits Kendrick since he doesn’t have to be the primary ball handler. He also seems to have a bit of a connection with Tyler Herro, since they played for a bit in summer league and throughout the regular season. Goran also discussed the three guard lineup, saying “All three of us can shoot the ball. It’s not tough because nobody is selfish on this team.” And obviously shooting will be needed as much as possible in this Bucks series, due to their defensive drop scheme.
Caleb Smith has been a relatively consistent force in a previously weak Marlins starting rotation since being traded over from the Yankees. A 15-17 record and 4.39 ERA in his time with Miami wasn’t anything special, but the consistency was a nice addition to a struggling starting rotation. Smith struggled with injuries with the Marlins, especially this year. Due to COVID-19, Smith only made one start where he went 3 innings on 6 walks.
This loss would have hurt a rebuilding Marlins team, but once Smith came back, there was no guarantee that he would have found himself back in the rotation. Pablo Sanchez, Sixto Sanchez, Trevor Rogers, Sandy Alcantara, and Elieser Hernandez provide a core starting five unlike anything the Marlins have seen in a while. Smith was a perfect trade piece, and the Marlins knew that. Great move.
Humberto Mejia to Arizona
Humberto Mejia seemingly came out of nowhere. Signing as a free agent at 23 years old from Panama, Mejia made 3 starts for the marlins, sporting a 5.40 ERA over 10 IP. Similar to the Caleb Smith situation, Mejia had no place in the current rotation after the call ups of S. Sanchez and Rogers in combination with a healthy P. Sanchez, Hernandez, and Alcantara.
Mejia lacked the firepower of the other pitching products in the Marlins system, and because of that found himself rightfully on the trade block.
Julio Frias to Arizona
Frias signed in 2014 as an international free agent. He has a good left arm and good strikeout stuff, but hadn’t progressed past A-ball, and in an organization where starting pitching is not currently an issue (when the whole crew is healthy, of course), the marlins made another smart move.
Jonathan Villar to Toronto
Jonathan Villar came to Miami to be a veteran leader and playmaker at the top of the lineup. Halfway through this short season, Villar hasn’t necessarily lived up to expectations. With a relatively low batting average (.259) and on-base percentage (.315), Villar’s hitting prowess hasn’t lived up to expectations. He did lead the league in steals, but has been caught stealing 5 times in the process.
With expectations being lowered every night, the Marlins went out to make a change and get Starling Marte in comparison. I’ll take a look next as to why this trade-up may be just what the Marlins need to continue their run.
What The Marlins Got
Starling Marte to Miami
The 8-year Cuban veteran finds himself in Miami after being sent to Arizona to help them compete. The Diamondbacks were sellers at the deadline due to their recent losing streak, but Marte played no negative role in that. His .311/.384 split has been a stellar representation of the difference he brings to the table over Villar. He brings the same speed to the table, and is one of the best outfielders in the league. Past the numbers, what really stands out is his patience at the plate, something Villar lacked. He gets deep into counts, and is a stellar hitter when ahead in the count with a .424 average. Marte provides the same veteran leadership, the same speed, and better stats to back him up. The perfect trade-up for a team looking to make a run.
Griffin Conine to Miami
The Marlins got Mr. Marlin’s son! Looking past that amazing story, Conine will eventually provide a solid left-handed bat in a future Marlins lineup. For more info on Griffin Conine, check out David Fernandez’s trade-day article.
The Verdict
It might have been advantageous for the Marlins to go out and bolster their bullpen, but the front-office said the deals just weren’t there. Looking at this trade in particular, the Marlins won. That’s not to say the Diamondbacks didn’t win either, as they got 3 solid pitching products, and Toronto got Robbie Ray. The question to ask: was this trade enough to put the Marlins in a better position to win this year? Trading three pitchers who most likely would have seen bullpen time at best, to upgrade Jonathan Villar to Starling Marte is a deal the Marlins lucked into and would take any day of the week. We will see how it plays out, but it looks like a win right now.
https://www.fivereasonssports.com/wp-content/uploads/BC727950-AF7F-4EAA-8A09-50466A041369-scaled.jpeg14402560Christian Chasehttps://www.fivereasonssports.com/wp-content/uploads/FiveReasonsWebsiteLogo.svgChristian Chase2020-09-01 15:56:282020-09-02 10:25:46The Starling Marte Trade – A Deeper Look at a Big Win For the Marlins
As we’ve been diving into a bunch of post-practice comments from the Miami Heat as of late, here’s a glimpse at some comments from the Milwaukee Buck’s Khris Middleton, Kyle Korver, and Mike Budenholzer. They all pretty much shared a mutual feeling about yesterday’s game, which all began with Miami’s star Jimmy Butler. Here’s what was said…
Post-Practice Comment #1:
Kyle Korver on the Heat, "A healthy respect and a healthy fear of our opponent. Nothing more than that."
Kyle Korver gave Miami major props for yesterday’s win, saying “A healthy respect and a healthy fear of our opponent.” Kyle got his shooting going in the second half a bit, but the respect mechanism had to have come on the defensive side. Since Miami runs lineups late in games with a bunch of two-way guys, Kyle would have to face some tough match-ups. Also, it’s been pretty obvious that Milwaukee has had a bit of a “fear” against Miami, since they were the only team to slow down their star, Giannis Antetokounmpo, in the regular season. And well, that carried over into game one, which Miami held Giannis to 18 points. In my opinion, the “fear” was displayed throughout the night on Giannis’ free throws, which it showed that Miami was truly in his head.
Post-Practice Comment #2:
Khris Middleton, on how Heat are playing him and Antetokounmpo in the pick and roll, "Me and Giannis have seen this before. . . . They know what we like to do."
The Khris Middleton and Giannis Antetokounmpo pick and role combo has worked pretty well this season, but Miami made sure to pounce on that early. Khris said, “Me and Giannis have seen this before…They know what we like to do.” That was led by Miami’s Jimmy Butler, since his defensive IQ kicked in throughout, which led to Miami shutting Khris Middleton down in the second half. You could also tell they got away from their pick and roll stuff early, when Khris began to get his one-on-one stuff going. As mentioned before, not only does Miami’s defensive success come from their physicality, it’s also the fact that they are slowly wearing down Milwaukee mentally.
Post-Practice Comment #3:
Khris Middleton, on stopping Jimmy Butler, "He's a great one-on-one player, and we allowed him to play one-on-one." Said team defense has to be better.
Khris Middleton talked a little about trying to stop Jimmy Butler. He said, “He’s a great one-on-one player, and we allowed him to play one-on-one.” This was especially displayed down the stretch of the fourth quarter, when Jimmy told his teammates “I’m not passing.” He also mentioned that their team defense must be better to try and stop Jimmy. But, this is not Jimmy’s priority in these games. His first option will be to get his shooters going early, as he’s continually said all season, and if they aren’t hitting their shots then he will take over. If Milwaukee prioritizes stopping Jimmy Butler, he will have a field day by using his strength all game, which is his elite play-making abilities.
Post-Practice Comments #4:
Mike Budenholzer said said Eric Bledsoe (hamstring) did some work in practice today after sitting out Game 1.
Mike Budenholzer quickly mentioned after practice today that Eric Bledsoe practiced a bit today. And since Milwaukee’s supporting cast struggled in game one, they will need Eric Bledose to add some scoring to their team upon his return. He will have a winnable match-up on the offensive side of the ball, since he will be able to take Goran Dragic off the dribble a lot. But, if Eric sits out game 2 as well, they will need yet another huge game for Khris Middleton, which seems like a lot to hope for.
Post-Practice Comment #5:
Mike Budenholzer, "Certainly I think we can be better on Jimmy Butler." Adds, "I think being better on both Butler and Dragic is probably where it starts."
Mike Budenholzer also mentioned their defensive assignment of Jimmy Butler. He said, “I think being better on both Butler and Dragic is probably where it starts.” If you were looking at the stat sheet from game one, you would definitely agree. But if you watched the Heat all season, you may disagree. Although Duncan Robinson didn’t have a great game yesterday, that won’t last long. He has not had bad back-to-back games all season. And if Milwaukee keys on both Jimmy and Goran tomorrow, Duncan will likely explode like he usually does after a tough shooting game.
https://www.fivereasonssports.com/wp-content/uploads/74DB1C36-B8C9-407C-92F3-C9470144AE59.jpeg6781254Brady Hawkhttps://www.fivereasonssports.com/wp-content/uploads/FiveReasonsWebsiteLogo.svgBrady Hawk2020-09-01 15:41:432020-09-01 15:41:435 Post-Practice Comments from Milwaukee Bucks
In the first ever Call of Duty League Championship since the CDL created franchise teams, the Dallas Empire, formerly known as EnVy, beat the Atlanta FaZe 5-1 in a best of nine series.
The Dallas team, comprised of Grand Final MVP Ian “C6” Porter (formerly known as “Crimsix”), James “Clayster” Eubanks, Cuyler “Huke” Garland, Anthony “Shotzzy” Cuevas-Castro, and Indervir “iLLeY” Dhaliwal, won in convincing fashion when they took the first four games to go up 4-0 over the FaZe. FaZe, comprised of Chris “Simp” Lehr, Michael “MajorManiak” Szymaniak, Preston “Priestahh” Greiner, Tyler “aBeZy” Pharris, and McArthur “Cellium” Jovel, had previously won five of their six regular season matches versus Empire en route to the #1 seed, but couldn’t seal the deal in the Finals. Porter and Eubanks join Damon “Karma” Barlow as the only three players in the world with three COD championship rings.
The winning factor of the day was teamwork. Atlanta was all over the kill-feed, but Empire looked much more cohesive. During the final match to win the championship, a Search and Destroy on Rammaza, Atlanta tried a last-minute rush on the bomb and found every single door and window covered by members of Empire. FaZe only won one game of the series, a game of Hardpoint on Gun Runner. There was simply no way for them to win in the face of Empire’s solidarity.
The 2020 CDL Championship peaked at 331,000 viewers over both the main and co-partners streams, the most ever for a Call of Duty esports event.
https://www.fivereasonssports.com/wp-content/uploads/image0-5.jpeg357488Kylie Wanghttps://www.fivereasonssports.com/wp-content/uploads/FiveReasonsWebsiteLogo.svgKylie Wang2020-09-01 10:02:442020-09-01 10:02:44E:5: Dallas Empire Wins First Call of Duty League Championship
The Miami Heat played a much anticipated game 1 against the Milwaukee Bucks, and came away with the win, 115-104. Miami definitely didn’t have a great shooting night, but Miami’s toughness overcame it behind Goran Dragic and Jimmy Butler. Here are my five takeaways…
#1:Goran Dragic begins, Jimmy Butler finishes.
Goran Dragic has pretty much been the Miami Heat’s bubble MVP thus far, since it seems as if he can’t have a bad game scoring the ball. Goran played a huge first half role for Miami, scoring 19 points on 75% shooting. And what was so special about this was that he was able to score at all three levels. He clearly is a three point threat, but really thrived in the mid-range area using his bank-shot floaters. Jimmy Butler, on the other hand, struggled in the first half with the ball in his hands, but got back to Playoff Jimmy status in the second half when he hit big shot after big shot in the fourth quarter. He finished the game with 40 points, and went 2 for 2 from beyond the arc. Like I said before, this is officially Jimmy’s time.
#2: Miami forces Milwaukee turnovers, which led to fast-break opportunities.
Miami has been the one team in the NBA that was able to disrupt Giannis Antetokounmpo and the Milwaukee Bucks this season. And though they were unable to disrupt them in the first quarter, they began to force turnover after turnover in the second quarter. Not only did they get a bunch of steals, but every one of those led to a basket on the other end. Some have talked about Miami slowing the game down a bit against this team, but on a night that their offense is struggling, it seemed essential to get the ball and run on the break.
#3: Surprisingly, Miami’s paint work against Milwaukee was utilized more than their perimeter shooting tonight, which will ultimately lead to more threes.
It’s been talked about over and over that Miami’s shooting would look to expose Milwaukee’s drop scheme in the series, since it allows so may threes. But it was actually the complete opposite. Guys like Bam Adebayo, Jimmy Butler, and Goran Dragic were able to attack the basket pretty effectively, which was a great sign for Miami. It did seem as if Milwaukee didn’t drop as much as usual, since they were very aware of Miami’s dribble hand-off scheme, which resulted in Duncan Robinson attempting one shot in the first half. If Miami can get their usual elite shooting going for the rest of the series, along with their penetration abilities, it makes an interesting series.
#4: Bam Adebayo plays much different role than he did in Indiana series.
Bam Adebayo didn’t have much of a scoring role against the Indiana Pacers in the first round, but he had such a huge impact in the series through his play-making and defensive abilities. Today though, he seemed to have a major role on offense around the rim, which as mentioned previously, was not expected since they pack the paint. Bam Adebayo also had the task of guarding (MVP candidate) Giannis Antetokounmpo, which he did as good of a job as you could possibly do against him. Bam also attempted some mid-range jumpers that were given to him, but they didn’t fall. Except for a clutch late game jumper after an exceptional jab step on Marvin Williams. If he can get some jumpers to fall, that not only opens up the floor for him, but also the rest of the team.
#5: Miami must prioritize slowing down Buck’s primary players, including Antetokounmpo, Middleton, Lopez.
Giannis Antetokounmpo, Khris Middleton, and Brook Lopez seemed to be Milwaukee’s only source of offense. Their supporting cast didn’t provide much offense, but they didn’t seem to need to at times, since their stars took the whole offensive load and thrived. Brook Lopez was a plus-30 in their three regular season games against Miami this season, and today he provided his scoring side. It’s pretty clear you’re not going to totally stop Giannis, which means it may be of their best interest to shut down Khris Middleton. This is something we saw Miami start to do in the second half, which ultimately helped them. It’ll be interesting to see some other schemes Coach Erik Spoelstra uses against this Milwaukee Bucks team.
https://www.fivereasonssports.com/wp-content/uploads/89F1C385-05BD-4CD6-AEB2-548D2978DE0D.jpeg442689Brady Hawkhttps://www.fivereasonssports.com/wp-content/uploads/FiveReasonsWebsiteLogo.svgBrady Hawk2020-08-31 21:26:102020-08-31 21:26:105 Takeaways from Heat’s Game 1 Win over Milwaukee
As the team traveled to New York to face the Mets in a makeup game for last Friday’s walk off protest, the Marlins knew they had their hands full. Two-time Cy Young award winner Jacob deGrom awaited them, making his fourth consecutive start versus Miami. A loss risked Miami’s playoff position and a lengthy losing streak.
With that as the backdrop, the Marlins not only scored a rousing comeback win over the Mets, the but the team completed a pair of trades for the playoff push.
Marlins and Mets Game
The trades unfolded as the game entered the middle innings. The Marlins were down 2-0 to the Mets, with deGrom dealing. But Marlins rookie starting pitcher Trevor Rogers hung in, limiting the damage New York’s potent offense tried to levy.
Then, in the fifth inning, with the Mets on the verge of adding further cushion to deGrom’s lead, Rogers induced a pop fly that Jonathan Villar corralled with an over-the-shoulder catch. It would prove to be Villar’s final play as a Marlin.
Cameras caught Marlins manager Don Mattingly speaking with Villar after pinch-hitting Jon Berti. Villar simply nodded. From there, the Marlins offense erupted for four runs off deGrom, including a Garrett Cooper home run and a Lewin DiazRBI double.
Marlins Trades
It was revealed on Twitter, and on the broadcast, that Villar had been dealt to Toronto for a Player to be Named Later. Villar played all 30 games for the Marlins this season with inconsistent results.
Seen as a difference maker as a lead-off hitter, Villar managed just a .259 batting average and .315 on-base percentage. Although he led the National League with nine stolen bases, Villar also led MLB with five caught-stealing attempts. That 64.5 percent rate, and the fact that he’d been picked off multiple times, just wasn’t good enough.
There was a reckless nature to Villar’s play as a Marlin. He regularly swung at first pitches and hit just .268 as a leadoff hitter. He was only 6-for-33 with runners-in-scoring-position. Defensively, Villar couldn’t cut it in centerfield and was just okay at second base.
In return, it’s being reported that the Marlins are getting Griffin Conine, the 23-year-old son of former Florida Marlin Jeff Conine.
Mr. Marlin’s Son Comes Home
Griffin Conine was selected by the Blue Jays with the 52nd overall pick of the 2018 MLB Draft, one spot ahead of Miami’s second-round slot. Some believe the Marlins would have drafted him then, had he fallen to their slot.
Conine injects another power bat into Miami’s farm system. After a 50-game suspension for the banned stimulant Ritalin, Conine found some success in the Low-A Midwest League last season. He hit .282 with a .947 OPS, slugging 22 home runs and 64 RBI.
A left-handed hitter, Conine’s power does come with the threat of the strikeout. He whiffed 125 times over 348 plate appearances, which isn’t great. He’s capable of driving the ball to all fields, thanks to his bat speed and physical strength. He’s not a speedster by any stretch, but he sports a solid arm defensively.
“If I had to rank [my tools], power would be No. 1, for sure,” Conine said in an interview with MLB.com in March. “Arm would be No. 2, for sure, and after that, it’s kind of a toss up. Speed would be on the lower end, [No. 5] maybe. I don’t think I’m slow, but defense is above that. Glove would be better than speed, and the hit [tool] is probably better than the glove. They can get better.”
A Plantation, FL native who attended Pine Crest high school in Fort Lauderdale, Conine has Marlins President of Baseball Operations Michael Hill “incredibly exicted,” although Hill can’t officially say the son of Niner is on the squad.
Other Notes from Marlins Trade Deadline Day
Hill met with Marlins media after Monday’s rousing comeback win over the Mets. He talked through the different deals and praised the team’s grit and fight.
“Our goal is not just to win one year,” Hill said, “it’s to win year in and year out.”
Hill admitted to exploring the bullpen market for the team but couldn’t find anything reasonable. “We weren’t going to mortgage our future,” he said.
Hill called the acquisition of Marte something that “takes pressure off the young guys” and adds to the “middle of the order.” He called Marte a “solid, dependable, everyday bat” and said “I don’t think you give up what we gave up for a 30-day rental.”
Marte is under contract through 2021.
Hill also revealed that Isan Díaz has reported to the team’s Jupiter training complex. Diaz has applied for reinstatement and is currently working out at the team facility. Diaz will soon be reinstated by the MLB/MLBPA joint committee.
https://www.fivereasonssports.com/wp-content/uploads/imgonline-com-ua-twotoone-rX61RI9dCp9gRU-scaled.jpg11812560David Fernandezhttps://www.fivereasonssports.com/wp-content/uploads/FiveReasonsWebsiteLogo.svgDavid Fernandez2020-08-31 20:08:222020-09-01 11:26:47Marlins Making Moves at Trade Deadline
